Utility metrology devices including electricity, water, gas, and oil meters generally are often respectively combined with or associated with an endpoint device. Such endpoint devices may provide various functionalities such as data collection and storage, service disconnection capabilities, and various communications capabilities including radio frequency (RF) transmission and/or reception capabilities. Such RF capabilities may be employed for communications with a central facility for data upload purposes, that is, for reporting of utility consumption information, as well as data reception purposes for updating operating systems or parameters associated with endpoint operation including data collection associated parameters.
In many instances, endpoint devices and their associated utility consumption measurement associated devices are organized into a network configuration. Mesh type networks are a known example of an arrangement for some of such networks. In such an exemplary network configuration, information may be transmitted from one device to another as such information is directed generally to or from an individual endpoint device in relation to a central facility. In some instances, individual endpoints may be configured to operate as a repeater to convey information (such as data) to and/or from another endpoint that may not be able to directly communicate with the central facility or other central collection device, or which endpoint for any other reason is otherwise operated so as to not communicate directly with the central facility or other central collection device.
Certain operational issues may arise based on the different types of endpoint in consideration of the types of power supplies available to the endpoint. In some instances, electricity meters may draw power from the same power lines being monitored for power consumption. In such instances, power is available except during power outages. Other utility consumption meter and endpoint combinations, however, may only have battery power available for their operation during normally expected operating conditions. In some instances, water, gas, and oil meters are more likely than electricity meters to be operated from battery power during their so-called “normal” operation.
Further complicating RF communications in some environments is the common practice of installing endpoints in wells or pits, in other words, underground. Such installations tend to inherently reduce the range achievable between associated communicating devices, whether transmitter, receiver, or transceiver. In currently known efforts to address such limitations on transmission range, various repeater and antenna configurations have been previously provided. In some instances, one below ground endpoint may function as a repeater to relay information from another such below ground endpoint that may be “out of range” of an area collector, concentrator device, or a central facility. In addition, or in the alternative, above ground antennae have been previously provided to improve communications capabilities for underground installations.
While various implementations of endpoint operating systems and methodologies have been developed, no design has emerged that generally encompasses all of the desired power advantages as hereafter presented in accordance with the presently disclosed technology.